Your daily vegetarian recipes

Kovakkai Poriyal/ Tindora Stir Fry is an easy and tasty accompaniment for rice with sambhar, rasam, dal or curd rice. It is made by cooking finely sliced ivy gourd in spicy blend of red chilli powder and sambhar powder and seasoned with mustard seeds. This recipe is very easy with simple ingredients, yet the resulting kovakkai poriyal is delicious. Ivy gourd is known to reduce the blood glucose levels and helps in weight loss, hence it is a wonder food for diabetes and obesity. Come, let’s see how to make this perfect and tasty recipe at home with easy method and step by step pictures.

Author: PRIYA SRINIVAS

Category: Vegan

Cuisine: South Indian

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Ivy gourd/ Kovakkai/ Tindora (small variety)- 250 g

Salt- as required

Turmeric powder- 1/8 tsp

Sambhar powder- 1 tsp

Red chilli powder- 1 tsp

To temper:

Oil- 2 tsp + 2 tsp

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Method:

1. Preparation: Wash the ivy gourd well and cut the top and bottom portion and discard. Slice thinly into pieces of equal size and set aside. (Make very thin slices for even and quick cooking and roasting)

2. Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and allow to crackle. Add the ivy gourd slices and saute for a minute.

3. Add salt and turmeric powder and mix well. Add 1/2 cup water and close and cook in medium low flame till the ivy gourd turns soft. This takes 10 to 15 minutes. Check on it every 5 minutes as the water might evaporate and the ivy gourd can get burnt.

4. Once the ivy gourd is cooked completely and water is absorbed, add red chilli powder and sambhar powder and mix well. Allow to cook for 2 minutes till the raw smell of the powder leaves.

5. Increase the flame to medium and add 2 tsp oil and allow to shrink and roast for 3 to 4 minutes. When the edges turn golden, switch off and serve hot as an accompaniment for rice along with sambhar, rasam, dal or even curd rice.

Health Benefits of Ivy Gourd:

Including ivy gourd in your meals frequently can do wonders in controlling the blood sugar levels.

It also increases metabolism and helps in weight loss.

Ivy gourd is rich in minerals and vitamins and helps the body in maintaining high energy levels and protects the nervous system

Ivy gourd is one of the best sources of Iron, helps combat Anemia and fatigue.

It also has high amounts of calcium and anti oxidants, and helps in treating kidney stones.